Development reel



Dec. 5, 1933. LE ROI E. HUTCHINGS 1,938,103

DEVELOPMENT REEL Filed Feb. 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qnwntoz Le B01 17.Ha chiugs AQMW DEVELOPMENT REEL 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNIT f;

DEVELOPMENT REEL Application February 13, 1930. Serial No. 428,193

5 Claims.

This invention relates to winding and reeling devices, and it-hasparticular reference to a device adapted to support a photographic filmor paper during the development thereof.

The invention contemplates the provision of a device in which theseveral wraps of film or paper are spaced in order to permit of theaccess thereto of the developing and washing solutions, and in which thespacing members are readily positioned and removed, as the film iseither wound or unwound from the reel The several objects and advantagesof the invention will be made more apparent from a perusal of thefollowing description of a specific embodiment thereof, with referenceto the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the winding and reeling device, thefilm or paper being schematically indicated thereon;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the assembly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the hub portion of thereel, the view being taken between the spokes and drawn on an enlargedscale;

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary plan view ofthe inner face of a spoke, showingsome of the spacing members in cross section;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a spacing member; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a winding spool.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the assembled device comprises a base plate10 having positioned therein a vertically disposed standard 11 providedat about its mid-portion with a horizontally extending stub shaft oraxle 12 adapted to rotatably support a reel, designated generally by thereference numeral 13. The upper end of the standard 11 terminates in ahorizontally disposed bearing 14 adapted to receive the trunnion orshaft 15 of a spool 16. One end of the trunnion or shaft 15, projectingthrough the bearing 14, is adapted to receive a crank or handle 17, bymeans of which the spool 16 may be rotated in either direction, eitherto wind or unwind a film on the spool from the reel 13.

As further illustrated in Fig. '7, the spool 16 comprises a hollowcylindrical portion 18 to the ends of which are affixed face plates 19and 21 of greater diameter. The plate 19 is secured by means of a collarmember 22.adapted to be posi- 'tioned on the trunnion 15 and to bearagainst the bearing 14, which collar is formed with a radially extendingfinger 23 provided with a laterally extending detent 24 which passesthrough an aperture formed in the plate 19 and into a recess formed inthe end of the wall of the cylinder 18.

A set screw may be employed to interlock the collar 22 and the shaft 15,and, as it will be readily observed, when the parts are assembled asshown, the shaft, end plate, and cylinder are all fixedlyinterconnected. The end of the shaft 15 adjacent the opposite end of thecylinder 18 is screw-threaded, as indicated by the reference numeral 26,and projects through a centrally disposed aperture formed in the endplate 21, to receive a knurled nut which, when tightened, retains theentire assembly in place. A fiber washer 28 may be interposed betweenthe nut 27 and the face of the end plate 21.

It is conemplated that the spool 16 shall be employed to receive theundeveloped film or paper in the photographing machine, and theconstruction accordingly is such that the spool may be readilytransferred to and assembled upon the standard 11 prefatory to windingthe film on the reel 13. The spool 16 is also adapted to receive thedeveloped film from the reel by simply reversing the direction ofrotation by turning the handle 17.

The reel 13 consists of a hub member formed with a pair of substantiallysquare plates 31 which are spaced and interconnected by means of crossbars 32 extending between their corners. Secured io the inner faces ofthe plates 31, and extending outwardly along both diagonals thereof, arespokes 33, so constructed as to receive detachable spacing members 34,(see Fig. 6), upon which the film is wound.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, each plate 31 is stamped or otherwiseshaped to form a marginal inwardly projecting flange 35, and is drawnout at the corners so that he flange 35 may lie snugly on either side ofthe spokes 33. The cross bars 32 are likewise formed with marginal.flanges, which are cut away at the ends of the bars, to provideprojecting fingers which embrace the spokes 33, and fit intocorrespondingly cut away portions of the flanges 35, as indicated by thenumeral 36 in Figs. 2 and 5. The spokes 33 are provided with doubly bentflanges 3'7 projecting first inwardly parallel to the axis of the reel,and then toward each other, to form pockets 38. The spokes for eachplate 31 project under the recessed portions of the cross bars 32,a'iong the diagonals of the plate 31, abutting adjacent the centerthereof, and are there secured by angle members 39. All of the parts maybe formed by simple drawing and pressing operations. when the parts aremade of resistant sheet metal, as is desirable to prevent corrosion, andmay be secured to each other by spot welding. As illustrated, the plates31 are apertured intermediate the diagonal portions, and the plates andspokes are provided wi.h a plurality of spaced apertures 41, serving topermit the penetration of developing liquid to the film, or drainagetherefrom, as the case might be.

It will be understood that, when the parts are assembled, there isprovided a reel in which the cross bars 32 define the hub upon which thefilm or ship may be wound and which is retained on the hub by means ofthe spokes 33. In order space each wrapping of film, a number of spacers34 are provided, which are of semi-cylindrical form with squared andflanged ends 42. The flan- 5 iiare of such dimensions that they fitwithin the pockets 38 formed on the spokes and between an opposed pairof spokes, so ihat they may be assembled with the reel by dropping in*ro n ends of the spokes, but can the-res be displaced by pullingendwise or by t is or tilting. When a pair of opposed spokes ar pointedu wardly away from the hub, a spacer p" between them will slidedownwardly, under the influence of gravity, until it meets someobstruction, such as the hub or cross bar, or another spacer. Vv'hen thespokes are pointed downwardly, the spacer will slide down, and fall out,.inless it is retained by means of a wrap of film.

In order to mount the reel for winding or unwinding a film, there isprovided at the center point of each an aperture 43 adapted to receivethe axle 12. As shown in Fig. 2,.the axle reduced diameter and formed ofa sechich is adapted to be threaded into the main portion 12, 0 providea stop shoulder limitthe inwad movement or" the reel.

spool 16 having a film or material wound thereon is positioned on thndard 11, and an empty reel 13 positioned on e axle 12. The outer end ofthe film then secured to the hub of the reel, by a clip or othersuitable means, and the film is then unwound from spool and on to thereel, by rotating the reel, employing the spokes 33 as hand holds. Asshown in i, the winding rotation is clockwise, and as each pair ofspokes come the second quadrant position, a spacer 3-1 dropped into thealigned pockets 33. As the ir of spokes reach the first quadrantposition, e is a plied thereto, and over the cylindriface of t spacer,holding it in position as other length of spokes pass through the fourthand tl drant positions. This procedure is continued until all of thefilm has been wound on the reel, when the end is made fast, and the reeland are then removed for developing or such other treatment isindicated. In case reel '3 immersed in a developing or wash solution, itwill be seen that the apertures 41 permit the ready access of the liquidto the spaced wraps of film, or drainage therefrom. AF- er the film hasbeen treated, the reel is again placed on the axle l2, and unwound backonto the spool 12, by means of the handle 17. Counterclockwise rotationof the reel is now effected, so that, as each pair of spokes reach thethird quadrant position, the spacers 34 are no longer restrained fromsliding downwardly and falling away.

It will be understood, therefore, that the invention provides a simpleand eifective way of winding films or the like on a reel including meansfor spacin he successive wraps of the film in a positive manner. I amaware that prior to this inventicn, it has been proposed to space suchwrapping, but I regard it as novel with me to space the wraps by meanswhich may be so readil applied during winding, and which automaticallyremove themselves during the unwinding operation, It, will accordinglybe understood that I desire the foregoing description regarded asillustrative of the principles of the invention, as set forth in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A reel comprising a hub member, pairs of raially aligned spokesextending outwardly therefrom, each of said spokes being formed withmarial flanges forming open pockets on the inner sides thereof, andspacing members adapted to be positioned between the rockets by asliding movement along the spokes from the ends thereof, said spacingmembers being formed with hollow squared ends adapted to be retained inthe pockets, and apertures formed in the spokes to permit of access ofliquid through the hollov. ends between the spacers.

2. A reel comprising a pair of opposed polygonal pirates each providedwith a central bearing portion, a plurality of radial spokes secured oneach plate and arranged to extend from the bearing portion thrugh thecorners thereof, cross bars connecting the spokes on opposed platesadjacent corners thereof, said cross bars securing the plates in spacedparallel relation with the bearing portions in coaxial relation and withthe sides of the plates in aligned relation, inwardly extending pocketson each spoke, and spacing members slidabiy positioned in the pocketsbetween the spokes.

3. A reel comprising a hub member, spaced pairs of radially alignedspokes extending from the hub member, said spokes bBill' formed withgrooves in their inner faces, spacing members siiclaoly positioned inthe grooves between onposed spokes, said spacing members being formed toprovide a relatively thin arcuate central portion and squared endportions, said end portions abutting end portions of adjacentspacingmembers to space the central portions relative to each other and also toretain the spacing members against axial movementwith their centralportions in predetermined relation to each other.

4. A spacing member fora reel formed of a piece of sheet metalcomprising a film supporting central section of curved transversesection and end sections having laterally extending parallel sideflanges, the transversedimensionof said central section beingsubstantially greater than said end sections, whereby the ends of saidside flanges will engage the opposite sides of the end sections of anadjacent spacing member for supporting the central section thereof inpredetermined-spaced relation to the central section of said adjacentspacing member when arranged in superimposed. relation.

5. In combination with a reel having spoke members and channel shapedslide portions formed on said spoke members, a plurality of film spacingmembers each comprising a film supporting central section and endsections having laterally extending parallel side flanges, thetransverse dimension of said central section being substantially greaterthan said end sections, whereby the said end sections cooperate withsaid channel shaped slide portions to hold said spacing members fromturning movements and whereby the ends of said side flanges engage theopposite sides of the end sections of adjacent spacing members forsupporting the central sections thereof in predetermined spaced relationto the central sections of said adjacent spacing members when assembledwith said reel.

LE ROI E. HUTCI-HNGS.

